Page 52.
Machine Man (serial)
“I was born with a congenital heart defect,” Lola said. “Hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Only one side developed properly. I had surgery three times before I turned two. It bankrupted my family. And I was always going to need more, because the right side was only just hanging in there. It was a matter of time. By the time I turned eight, I figured out that I was a time bomb. We never had vacations, or a new car, or ate out. My parents never had another kid. They scraped together everything they could against the day I would faint and cost them three hundred thousand dollars.
“So I decided to die. We lived way up north, a place called Chabon, and one day I walked out into the snow and took off my coat and hat and sat down next to a frozen stream. I guess I was being romantic. But I meant it. I wanted to save my parents’ lives. There was this photo album under the coffee table I used to read, looking at the pages where my parents were young and happy and went places, and I wanted them to be like that again. So I sat there until I couldn’t move, and then I fell asleep.
“When I woke, I was in a hospital bed, and my mom was crying. My chest hurt. I had damaged my heart. It couldn’t beat by itself any more. The hospital had installed an artificial one. It was a stop-gap measure, the doctor told us, because I was still growing. The device they put in was the only one small enough to fit. In a few years, they would need to replace it.”
52.
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Location: Moe
Quote: "Fredzfrog"
Posted: 6313 days ago
Location: London, United Kingdom
Quote: "We are all history's middle children."
Posted: 6313 days ago
Location: new york general sort of vicinity
Quote: ""It's not working" -- Joseph Clark"
Posted: 6313 days ago
@max > you _have_ to string this out...my weekdays will be very empty when i don't have a page to read.
Location: IL
Quote: "You can only be young once. But you can always be immature. - Dave Barry "
Posted: 6313 days ago
Posted: 6312 days ago
The other day there was this entry that reminded me of Jennifer Government.
--
Caller: *on the phone* “My father-in-law was hit by a car while riding his bike. I need to get some advice about what he should do.”
Me: “Was he injured?”
Caller: “Yeah. I mean, he’s conscious and stuff, but he’s bleeding and in pain.”
Me: “When did this happen?”
Caller: “About 5 minutes ago. Can we sue the guy?”
Me: “I’m sorry, did you say this JUST happened? Have you called the police and ambulance?”
Caller: “No, that’s why I called you. I need to know what to do.”
Me: “Hang up and call 911!”
Caller: “Really? So we should take him to the doctor even though he doesn’t have medical insurance? Who’s going to pay for it if he dies? I can’t be responsible for that!”
(Sirens are heard in the background.)
Caller: “Oh no, someone must have called, because a firetruck just pulled up…am I going to have to pay for this?”
Me: “Sir, please deal with his injuries and make sure he’s taken to the hospital. You can call us back after he’s been treated if you need to and we’d be happy to explain how to get the bills paid - right now you need to worry about him.”
Caller: “I ain’t doin’ anything ’til I know who’s gonna pay for this. I shouldn’t be stuck with this!”
Me: “In all likelihood, the insurance company for the driver who hit him will pay his medical bills.”
Caller: “I’m calling them then….” *aside in background* “Don’t go messing with him; I gotta find out who’s paying for this before you go taking him anywhere!” *hangs up*
Location: Ohio, USA
Quote: "There is a guy in Lab Control who once killed a woman with his car, and he gets invited to parties. I don’t understand that."
Posted: 6312 days ago
Wow. That's horrible/awesome.
@Page52
Sweet Max. Rock out.
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